Bill Gates Backs Washington Initiative That Would End Private Gun Sales

Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife Melinda have “each contributed $25,000” to Washington’s Initiative 594, which would effectively ban private gun sales in the state.

The Washington Alliance for Gun Responsibility (WAGR) is pushing the initiative, claiming it “makes sure anyone buying a gun in Washington State passes the same background check, no matter where they buy the gun and no matter whom they buy it from.” 

If WAGR gathers the 325,000 signatures necessary by January 4, 2014, the Washington state legislature will be asked consider the ban on all private sales in the state. If the legislature fails to take it up, it will be on the ballot for the people to decide in November 2014. 

Initiative 594 would effectively end private firearms sales in the state, as all sales would be required to be conducted through a 3rd party Federal Firearm License (FFL) holder. WAGR describes the process as such: “The buyer and the licensed dealer would proceed as if the buyer were trying to purchase from a dealer.”

The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) already in place is a federally-run background check system. When Democrats in the Colorado legislature passed a law requiring a background check for every sale, it was quickly evident that Federal Firearm License (FFL) holders in their states were not equipped or numerous enough to handle a state mandate expanding federal law. 

Initiative 594 will create the same gridlock created by Colorado politicians, which will in turn hurt law-abiding gun owners, not criminals. 

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins